Superb

Wheat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AC Domain' and 'Grandin'

Summary: 'Superb' has medium anthocyanin on the flag leaf auricle while 'AC Domain' has absent or very weak anthocyanin. 'Superb' has a shorter plant height than 'AC Domain' and taller plant height than 'Grandin'. 'Superb' has awns while 'AC Domain' is awnleted. 'Superb' has a shorter spike length than 'Grandin' and a longer spike than 'AC Domain'. The beak on the lower glume is longer for 'Superb' than for 'AC Domain'.

Description:

'Superb' is a hard red spring wheat. The coleoptile has no anthocyanin colouration and the sheaths and blades of the lower leaves have very sparse pubescence. The frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves is medium. The flag leaf has very sparse pubescence on the blade and sheath. The flag leaf auricles have medium anthocyanin and the flag leaf sheath has medium glaucosity.

After heading, the culm has weak glaucosity on the neck and at maturity the neck is slightly curved. The straw has no anthocyanin colouration at maturity and has a thin pith. 'Superb' has a tapering spike shape that is erect in attitude and medium in density. The spike has weak glaucosity and is white in colour at maturity. The spike has awns present which are medium in length and moderately spreading in attitude. The awns are white in colour. The rachis has sparse pubescence on the convex surface of the apical segment. The lower glume is medium in width and long in length. The lower glume has very sparse pubescence. The shoulder of the lower glume is straight in shape and narrow to medium in width. The beak on the lower glume is slightly curved in shape and medium in length. The lower glume has sparse pubescence on the inner side. The lemma has a slightly curved beak.

'Superb' has a hard red kernel that is medium red in colour and medium in size. The kernel is medium to long in length and medium in width. The oval shaped kernel has a rounded cheek shape and midlong brush hairs. The embryo is oval in shape and the germ is medium in size. The kernel crease is medium in width and depth.

'Superb' is susceptible to Septoria tritici blotch (Septoria tritici), moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminerarum, Fusarium species), moderately resistant to Common bunt (Tilletia caries, Tilletia foetida), Loose smut (Ustilago tritici) and Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina), susceptible to highly susceptible to Septoria nodorum blotch (Septoria nodorum) and resistant to stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici).

Origin & Breeding History: 'Superb' was selected from the cross Grandin*2/AC Domain, made in 1993 at the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Research Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Doubled haploid lines were produced using the maize pollination procedure from F1 plants. Double haploid lines were grown in a disease/dormancy nursery in 1994, increased in a winter nursery in 1994/95 and grown in yield trials in 1995. Lines with good pre-harvest sprouting resistance, good disease resistance and good agronomic performance were selected. Seventeen lines were entered into the Central Bread Wheat "A" test in 1996 and one line was selected and entered in the Central Bread Wheat Cooperative test in 1997 as BW 252.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Superb' were conducted at Glenlea, Manitoba. The trials were grown in a random complete block design with 4 replications. The plots were 4.3 metres long with 5 rows spaced 15cm apart.

Comparison tables for 'Superb' with reference varieties 'AC Domain' and 'Grandin'

Plant height (cm)

Spike length (cm)